08/04/2017
"Studying in a public elementary school in a rural municipality, I grew up in an environment that I consider as the only definition of Bohol as a place. Going to school every morning took 15 mins WITHOUT traffic passing by lots of trees and ricefields spanning as far as the eye can see, climbing trees for fruits and the fresh air during recess, trading some of my viand for some green mangoes, which I really like with salt, during lunch to help the vendor then eating with him, DROWNING the rice in sabaw, as Boholanos are known for, and when classes are done, running to the houses at the back of the school where the famous delicacy, Kalamay, is made and produced, not to buy it, but amo rang pang tiluk tilukun ang mabilin sa mga dako kaayo nga kaldero na mga slightly sunog na residue sa kalamay na murag peanut brittle - Those were some of the best times.
People from the city will also never understand this but since Cebu was 2 hours away and Tagbilaran was 1 hour away, going to any fastfood chain was already something 'special'. It wasn't, I later realized, as it was a Promdi thing. However, I never thought being a Promdi was kind of a negative thing, having a different accent, being new to things, because I was never and never will be ashamed that I am from Bohol. If anything, the ones discriminating me as Promdi are the ones missing out on (and they should cry about it jk XD) the fun of trying the different accents in Bojol; there are new things they can discover that are not new to me and most especially the beauty and elegance of Bohol."
Photo: Chocolate Hills by Lourd Pocon